Blossoming Emotion
by Tressimir
Summary: A Tactician/Lyn story inspired by A Fourth Tale. My second fanfic, so reviews are appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

(1) Translation is 'Improved Death Flower.'

On the plains of Sacae, anything could happen. And it just so happened that there a chance meeting would change the fate of Elibe…

**Chapter 1**

**The Journey Begins**

"What happened…?" Izak Finiarel awoke in a bedroll that surely wasn't his, in a tent that he didn't own. "Alright, where in the name of Elimine am I?" "Oh, I see you're awake." Izak turned to his left, looking for the source of the voice. He soon found it; a young woman of around nineteen years with green hair bound into a ponytail. "I found you unconscious on the plains. You didn't look like you were in that great of shape, so I brought you back here." Starting to regain his composure after seeing the girl, Izak brushed his long silver hair out of his face with his right hand. "Where's 'here,' exactly?" The girl smiled and said, "My camp. I am Lyn of the Lorca. What's your name?" "Izak… Izak Finiarel." Lyn nodded. "That's a nice name. What were you doing out here in Sacae?"

Izak bit his tongue quickly. She seemed so trusting and innocent, but he knew from experience that those were often the most dangerous types. Coming up with a quick half-truth, he blurted, "I'm a strategist. I was studying the nomad tribes' tactics." Praying silently to St. Elimine that she wouldn't question him, he was relieved when she nodded again and said, "Well, next time you should prepare yourself for a longer journey. Who knows where you'd be if I hadn't found you?" "Yeah… Hey, do you know where my sword went?" Lyn retrieved a long, curved sheath from under a black pack that Izak recognized as his. "Is this it?" Izak nodded and pushed himself up, still using his right hand. He struggled to pull the blade from the sheath but eventually succeeded in doing so - and when he did, a fine katana was revealed. Lyn looked at the shining sword in admiration.

"That sword is a masterpiece… where did you get it?" Izak used the curved blade to help him stand before attempting to replace it in its sheath. Seeing his frustration, Lyn held the sheath upright for him so he could slide the katana in, then helped him buckle it onto his belt. "Thank you." Izak stood in the tent dressed like a warrior; he was clad in all black, with a shirt, pants, boots and cape in addition to his sword belt.

Lyn looked at him and grinned. "You look like a proper warrior now. Although… mind telling me what's up with that hair?" Inwardly Izak sighed. People were always asking him about his hair, which was shoulder-length and silver. The strange part was that at some points, purple point-ended ovals covered the silver to form a unique pattern. "I was born this way. My hair's just always had that color, and I like it too much to get rid of it." Lyn nodded before saying, "You never told me where you got your sword. Is it special to you?" Izak nodded and spoke in a firm voice. "This sword was a gift from someone I admired very much. It will remain by my side until the day I can fight no more. This is Hanabotsu -Kai.(1)" The young plainswoman looked down at the sheathed blade and said, "It's a beautiful sword." Izak nodded and let out a rare smile. Suddenly, a noise reached their ears. "I'll go check that out." Both said at once. Together, they walked out of the tent and spied on the source of the noise through the trees.

"Bandits! There are only three of them, but they all look strong." Lyn's worried tone was offset by Izak's offhanded one. "Who cares? I'll cut them down myself." Shocked, Lyn looked up at her companion. "I thought you were a strategist!" Placing his right hand across his body to grasp Hanabotsu-Kai's hilt, he growled, "I don't carry this sword around because it looks pretty. It's lethal in my hands." "Alright then. Let's do this!" Lyn and Izak hacked through the branches in their way, the tactician still only using his right hand. One of the bandits saw them and called, "Hey, boys! We've got some company!" Raising his axe, the bandit charged toward the two foolishly. "Bad move, pal." Izak's arm snapped out to catch the unsuspecting bandit through the chest with Hanabotsu-Kai. As the brigand collapsed, dead, Izak let out his own call. "You mongrels aren't worth the trouble the governments go to to wipe you out. I'll finish you off myself!"

After the second bandit had charged and been slain by Lyn's blade, the two rushed the leader. "Who do you think you kids are? You think you can stand up to Batta the Beast?!" A mad grin blossomed on Izak's face as he said, "So you're the legendary Batta the Beast!? I had no idea… I can hardly contain myself. All the misery you've caused… it comes to an end now!" Before Lyn could react, Izak had hurled Hanabotsu-Kai at Batta's head. The blade caught the bandit leader in the forehead, sending blood spraying everywhere as he fell backward against the ger that he had been attempting to plunder. Izak walked up and tore his sword out of Batta's skull as more blood bubbled out of the wound. He cleaned the weapon on the Beast's corpse before thrusting it back into its scabbard. "Sorry about that. Got a little carried away." Lyn watched in a mixture of shock and awe as she said, "He deserved that." Saying nothing, Izak turned back toward the camp and walked across the bloody grass.

_He's a fierce fighter for someone who claims to be a strategist. If he ever gets angry at me, I'd have to kill him to stop him. _Lyn thought as she trekked after him. The two reached the camp and Lyn started a fire, beginning to cook some meat she had in the tent. The dinner was ready in about a half-hour, allowing the two to eat. Izak rested the wooden plate he was given on his leg as he ate, using his right hand still. This invoked Lyn's curiosity. "Why do you never move your left hand?" "Can't." Was Izak's reply. Not another word passed between the two as they finished eating and went to bed in Lyn's tent.

_Izak walked across a field of gray grass, clouds covering the sky. A grand manse lay behind him as he walked away. This Izak was younger; he was only ten years old. A sword made for a grown man was strapped to his back, making him stumble occasionally as it scraped the ground. Pain filled every fiber of his being - he felt like his chest was burning. Yet still he kept walking until the burning overpowered him and he sank to his knees, then to the ground. "I don't want to go back…"_

The next morning Izak awoke to Lyn rummaging around in her pack. "Morning, Lyn." The Lorca girl jumped at the unexpected sound of his voice. "Good morning, Izak. How did you sleep?" Grunting as he pushed himself up, Izak muttered, "Well enough." The dream of the previous night echoed in his mind. Closing his eyes didn't help and instead made him visualize the dream with greater clarity. "Are you alright?" Lyn's hand gently touched his shoulder. Izak unthinkingly shrugged her off and said, "I'm fine. Sorry." "As long as you're okay. So, how are you feeling this morning? That fight from yesterday looked like it took its toll on you." Izak nodded mutely. "Anyway, I had a question. Since you're a strategist and have experience in the ways of war… could I come with you for training?" The girl's question stunned him. His head snapped around to look into her eyes, which were as emerald green as his own. "My path is a dangerous one. No place for a girl like you. Stay home with your parents." Lyn's face dropped suddenly as she said in a quiet voice, "My parents died six months ago. The Taliver bandits attacked, and they killed everyone - men, women, the elderly, infants… My father was the tribal chieftain. When he fell, I tried to rally my people, but the Lorca are so old-fashioned, and I was so young… They wouldn't follow a woman. No one would follow me."

Immediately Izak felt guilt for what he'd said. "If you are truly alone… then you can come. But I'll warn you: My path is indeed treacherous. You could get hurt or killed." Lyn's face was resolute as she replied, "I'm ready. I won't learn anything by just sitting here; I need training to become stronger. So you'll be my master strategist and I'll be your peerless warrior!" The tactician's face split into a grin as he extended his right hand. Lyn clasped it in her own, and an alliance was formed.

______________________________

A few days later, Lyn and Izak arrived in Bulgar, the commercial center of Sacae. Here, everything was bartered for everything else; trade was the main currency in the city. Izak looked around, impressed. "This is where you nomads trade, huh? Given the sparse materials here on the plains, it's truly amazing that you've been able to construct such solid buildings." He rapped a wall with his knuckle to prove his point. Lyn smiled and took his hand, pulling him into a shop where they purchased a map of Elibe.

As they left the shop, a knight in green armor rode up to them on a fine horse. Instantly Izak had his sword drawn and himself positioned defensively in front of Lyn. The knight raised one hand and stopped, saying, "Wait, o beauteous one! Would you not favor me with your name, or better yet, your company?" Izak growled, "If you want to live, you'd turn that horse around and get the hell out of this city before I cut you to ribbons." The knight looked down at him and snorted haughtily. "What is a common vagabond doing in the company of such a lovely lady?" Just as the tactician was about to throw himself into battle with the knight, Lyn placed a hand on his shoulder and addressed him. "Enough, Izak." Turning to the knight as her escort fumed silently, she asked, "Where are you from, sir knight, that you would speak so freely to a stranger?" The young man laughed and issued a loud proclamation. "Ha! I thought you'd never ask! I am from Lycia. I am from the Caelin canton, home to men of passion and fire!" "More like, 'home to callow oafs with loose tongues.'" The knight cringed and said, "You're even lovelier when you're cruel." Lyn looked toward Izak and said, "Let's go, Izak. I have nothing left to say."

Keeping Hanabotsu-Kai at the ready, Izak muttered, "If he speaks again, he dies…" As he walked alongside Lyn. The green-armored warrior turned his horse and cried, "Wait, please…." At that moment, another knight clad in red armor rode up. "Sain! Hold your tongue!" Izak turned to face the two knights in a battle stance, his eyes bright. "Yes, you oaf, hold your tongue before I cut it out!" Lyn pulled on the swordsman's sleeve to get his attention, turning him back to walk with her. As the furious youth stepped in time with the nomad girl, he heard the knights conversing. "Ah, Kent! My boon companion! Why such a severe expression?" "If you were more serious, I wouldn't have to be so severe! We still have a mission to complete, Sain!"

The two moved forward until their horses blocked the road, obviously oblivious to what they were doing. "I know that. But how could I remain silent in the face of such beauty? It would have been discourteous!" "What do you know of courtesy?!" Lyn spoke then. "Would you mind moving your horses? You're blocking the road." The red-armored knight, Kent, turned as he was startled. "Oh, yes. Of course. My apologies." As the knights moved their horses, the young woman said, "Thank you. You, at least, seem honorable enough." Kent turned back to look at Lyn curiously. "Hm? Pardon me, but… have we met somewhere before." "Excuse me?" Sain suddenly blurted, "Hey, no fair, Kent! I saw her first!" Lyn's face grew red with anger as she took Izak's left hand, making him wince. "Tsk! It seems there are no decent men among Lycia's knights! Let's go, Izak! I've run out of patience!" The two walked away, leaving the knights to bicker behind them.


	2. Revelations

**Chapter 2:**

**Revelations**

The two left Bulgar behind them and traveled for a few miles before noticing that they were being followed. "Someone's coming up to us… is it those knights from town? No… these men are out for blood!" Izak drew Hanabotsu-Kai and settled into a fighter's stance as bandits appeared before them. Their leader, a bulky man in a half-shredded purple shirt, hefted his axe and asked, "Your name is Lyndis, is it not?" "Huh? Lyndis?" Izak was confused yet still managed to focus on the bandit. "What did you call me? Who are you?"

"What a waste. An absolute waste. The things I'll do for gold… Ah well, time to die, darlin'!" The bandit lunged forward to find Izak barring his way. "You will not hurt Lyn. Not if I have a say in it." At that point, the two knights from Bulgar rode up on their Lycian warhorses. "Such numbers against a girl? You are cowards, every one of you!" Sain shouted from atop his steed, lifting an iron lance into the air. Izak looked stunned at the knight's audacity. "Get out of here, you stupid fool! I'll take care of these myself!" Kent took up a position alongside Sain.

"You'll need all the help you can get. Lead Sain and I in combat. We'll cover you!" Izak ground his teeth furiously and turned, only to hear Sain's voice and turn again. "I want to impress my beauteous one! Let me attack first!" "You idiot! This is a battlefield, not one of your knightly jousting competitions! Just don't get yourself killed!"

The black-clad tactician rushed forward to engage one of the bandits, swinging his blade in a curved strike that opened a wide gash across the brigand's chest. As the enemy fell Izak charged at the next bandit with bloodlust in his eyes. After he dispatched this second bandit, this time by taking off his head, the warrior ran at full speed toward Lyn, who was engaged in combat with two bandits. "You filthy maggots! Stay away from Lyn!" Both bandits looked over at him, allowing Lyn to stab one in the chest while Izak hurled Hanabotsu-Kai through the second one's head.

Ripping the gore-covered sword from his fallen enemy's skull, he growled, "You okay, Lyn?" The plainswoman looked somewhat shocked and revolted at the obvious acts of malice Izak performed against his enemies. "Y-Yes. Thank you, Izak." Nodding, the warrior turned to face the last bandit as Kent and Sain rode up to them. "You, tactician. Why do you fight instead of directing us?" Spitting his words at the red-armored knight, Izak replied, "I fight to protect. If someone were to die I would have failed, and I trust your battle instincts if not your common sense." Sain looked somewhat annoyed at the words and said, "Why you-" "Got something to say to me!?" The crippled warrior's voice was fierce enough to shatter steel. "If you've got something to say, spit it out!"

All the rage drained out of the knight to be replaced by fear. Izak's voice reminded him of the man they were attempting to evade…

"Now, you knights of Lycia. You were going to share your story with us?" Lyn's voice brought an end to the tension, though Izak still looked enraged. Kent cleared his throat and began.

"Yes. We have ventured from Caelin, in Lycia, in search of someone." Lyn looked thoughtful at the words. "Lycia is that country beyond the mountains to the southwest, right?" "Correct. We came as messengers to the Lady Madelyn, who eloped with a nomad some nineteen years ago." "Madelyn?" Kent continued. "Our lord the marquess's only daughter. He was heartbroken that his own daughter would abandon him so." Izak snorted disbelievingly. "And?" "Eventually, the marquess declared that he had no daughter."

Sain then took up the tale. "Then this year we received a letter from the Lady Madelyn. It said that she, her husband and their daughter were living happily on the Sacae plains. The marquess was ecstatic to learn he had a granddaughter of eighteen years. I remember the smile on his face when he announced he had become a grandfather. The granddaughter's name is Lyndis. This was also the name of the marquess's wife, who passed away at an early age."

Lyn looked stunned. "Lyndis?" "That she should bear this name thawed the marquess's heart. Now his only wish is to meet his daughter's family at least once. This is why we're here. We didn't know that Lady Madelyn died a few days after sending her letter... We only learned this shortly after we arrived here in Bulgar. But we also learned all was not lost. Her daughter yet lives. We heard that she was living alone on the plains."

Kent began to speak again. "I… I knew it immediately. You are the lady Lyndis." The young woman stammered in response, W-Why would you think that?" "Your resemblance to your departed mother is unmistakable." Izak let out a suppressed growl of annoyance that The knights would speak to his companion in such a manner. "Did you know my mother?"

"I'm sorry to say I never met her directly. However, I've seen her portraits in Castle Caelin." Lyn's voice dropped to a musing tone as she said, "To the rest of my tribe, I was always Lyn. But when it was just the three of us, I was Lyndis. It's all so strange. I was alone in the world, and now I have a grandfather. Lyndis… I never thought I'd hear that name again."

Izak felt a pounding in his ears. Suddenly he wanted to run the knights through, to slaughter them with no restraint. He gripped Hanabotsu-Kai with his good hand, stared at the messengers and let out a strangled cry. With a forward dash the warrior lashed out at Sain only to have his blade blocked by the knight's. "What are you doing?!" Lyn cried, running up and pulling her escort back away from the knight. Izak's face burned a bright red as his emerald eyes contained a fire with an intensity no one could deny. "No… I won't let you take her…"

Lyn desperately grabbed Izak's neck, putting pressure on the nerves there. He slumped to the ground, out cold. Turning back to the knights she said, "Wait. That bandit! He called me Lyndis too!" Kent started. "What?! How could he-" "He was a henchman of Lord Lundgren, wasn't he?" Lyn looked at Sain and inquired, "Lord Lundgren? Who's that?" At that very moment Izak rose. The red coloring had subsided from his face, and his eyes no longer burned with inner fire.

Kent and Sain raised their weapons as the tactician stood. "Put those things down, you'll injure somebody. I could hear a little of this conversation; who is this Lundgren?" Kent continued with a wary look at Izak. "Lord Lundgren is the marquess's younger brother. Everyone assumed the lady Madelyn was gone forever. This made Lord Lundgren heir to the marquess's title." Sain interjected, "To be blunt, milady, your existence is an obstacle to your granduncle's ambitions."

Lyn's face was gripped by shock as she spoke again. "That's- But I have no interest in inheriting a title!" "Your granduncle is not the type of person to believe that. I believe the attempts on your life will persist." The young lady looked at the ground and whispered, "What should I do?" Kent said in a firm voice, "Accompany us to Castle Caelin. Continuing on this way is dangerous." "I feel I have little choice. I will come with you." Izak's facial muscles twitched at her words as Lyn took his hand and guided him away from the knights.

"Izak… I'm sorry. This changes everything. What will you do, Izak?" The silver-and-purple-haired warrior glanced into Lyn's eyes and said, "It's up to you, Lady Lyndis." She patted his arm and spoke quietly. "Please, Izak, just call me Lyn. And I don't know what to do. Your companionship on this journey would be helpful, but it'll be so dangerous…" Izak then interrupted her words with a firm sentence of his own. "I'll come. You need someone to watch your back, and it would be a poor display of gratitude if I left the girl who saved me to be killed."

Lyn's face broke into a smile as she gripped his arm. "Thank you, Izak. I will treasure your friendship and your aid." Izak turned his wrist to take her arm as well. "As I will yours." The two began walking back toward the knights, their bond renewed.


End file.
